[ -X. ] 



he meet ■with the encouragement that the bnldnefs of the attempt, an4 

 jprobable utility of the work, feem to merit, no exertion on his part fliaft 

 be wanting. Of his own .application at leaft, while health (liall be con- 

 tinued, he can fpeak with a reafonable degree of ceitainty; on the 

 liberal afliftance of his literary friends in Britain, he can with a well 

 grounded confidence rely ; and he has every reafon to expert that his 

 communications from abroad will be valuable alike for their authenti- 

 city, variety and importance. It is not, however, on the communication's 

 from abroad that he places his chief reliance, nor on the voluntary 

 afliftance of private literary friends ; he hopes for communications on 

 interefting fubjefts, as they occafionally occur, from literary charaifters 

 in Britain who are entire ftrangers to him, and will be at all times ready 

 to make fuch returns as the writers of fuch efiays fhall be willing to 

 accept, in proportion to the merit of their performances. He ihalt 

 only add, that concifenefs and comprehenfive brevity will ever be to 

 him great recommendations. 



The editor cannot pretend to announce this -work to his readers as a 

 newfpaper. It may ferve, however, as a concife regifter of important 

 occurrences, that admits of being conveniently bound up, to be confuitcd 

 occafionally, and thus to preferve the recolledlion of events long after 

 thofe paperj, that announced them more fully at the time, fhall have 

 been fuflfered to perifli. Though this performance cannot therefore boaft 

 the merit of announcing news, it may ferve very completely the pur- 

 pofe ot an ufeful remembrancer to thofe who wilh to preferve a difliniSl 

 recoUedlion of the fuccefiion of j^Il events. 



In one particular department, lie propofes to adopt a method that 

 his friends make him hope will give general fatisfaiflion. In all the 

 ncwfpapers, mention is made of the feveral bills that are introduced 

 into parliament ; but unlefs it be from the debates that occur on the 

 paffing of thefe bills, the public are no farther fniormed of their content? 

 than the name by which they are announced fuggefts. Many perfcns, 

 therefore, have expieffed an earneft wiih, that a diflinft and authentic 

 account could be given of the charaifteriflic peculiarities of each of 

 tliel'e bills, in fome perfor.mance that can cafliy be obtained by the 

 public at large. This the editor intends to attempt in the prcfent work. 

 Inllead oj giving a diary of the tranfiuSlions of parliament, as in a newf- 

 puptr, he proj'i.lcs to give a feparate hiftory of the rife and progrefs of 

 each particular bill, announcing always at the beginning the particular 

 r)bje<Sb.'i of the bill, and tracing the amendments it received in each 

 (lep of its progrifa thiough the houfe ; and thus explaining the ftate 

 jn which it i% iclt when paffcd into a law, or finally rejeifled ; adding 

 hinifelffuch occallonal remarks as the fubjcCi naturally fuggefls. By 

 this mode of procedure, the account of parliamentary proceedings 

 Tiiuft jndeed be delayed till towards the end of each ftflion o! par- 

 liament, as it is propoicd never to lofc fight of one bill till it be finally 

 pafi'cd into a law, or reji.6t'jd. But as the daily proceedings in parlia- 

 ment can be found in every ncv/fpaper, this delay can be atti r.deii 

 \.ith little iiironvLiiienee to the reader; and it is hoped he will re- 

 c . .i: a fuiiifaJfion, in ioi\v'i thf: fime i'ulved difculTed Ibon after, u.ni. 



